The Today Show is airing from Detroit this week, so Matt Lauer did an interview with Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors. Rather than ask the typical questions that male CEO.s of large corporations usually get asked, Matt decided it would be better to see how sexist he could get. He asked two questions that he clearly pulled straight out of his inner asshole.
Matt clearly knew this would be offensive as he prefaces his first question by saying how he has to handle this delicately.
"I want to tread lightly here," Lauer said before launching into a question about why Barra got the CEO job, noting that she is extremely qualified.
Having declared Mary Barra qualified by the powers vested in Matt as early morning arbiter of everything, Matt drops this little stinkbomb:
"
But some people are speculating that you also got this job because as a woman and as a mom because people within General Motors knew this company was in for a very tough time and as a woman and a mom you could present a softer image and softer face for this company as it goes through this horrible episode. Does it make sense or does it make you bristle?" he asked.
Always good to ask a CEO if they got their job because of their looks. So professional and shit.
Unfortunately, Ms.Barra chose to answer this crap, rather than punch Lauer out. This emboldened Matt into doubling down on his next question, which has become both the most sexist and the most banal question asked of women who are in positions of power whether its in the boardroom or the Congress. It reminds these women that their place is still in the kitchen no matter how high they climb.
Lauer then asked Barra about her children, noting that her kids have said they will hold her "accountable for one job and that is being a mom."
"Given the pressures of this job at General Motors, can you do both well?" he asked.
As one would expect, Mary Barra handled both questions well. I didn't include her answers because I didn't want todistract of the incredible sexism of Lauer and Today. I realized how much they miss Katie Couric, who used to always handle this type of dirty work. I assume that the folks at NBC thought it would all be less sexist if it was one woman asking another, but it was still just as sexist and revolting